By Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman
I was recently researching furniture in the Carnotzet style. I was amazed to learn that this is not known outside of the Swiss Romande area! I thought everyone knew what a carnotzet was and did a little research to find out why my search of a wooden dining table with matching wooden corner bench wasn't coming up in the search engine.
In local dialect, a carnotzet is a small room where wine is stored and enjoyed with friends. The word is more commonly used in French-speaking Switzerland, but is also used in the Haute-Savoie region.
The 1894 Exposition cantonale vaudoise d’Yverdon was were the term was first coined. It was where the event's management used to have their breaks. The panelled room was rustically furnished with wooden tables, chairs, and benches. It was a convivial space and became very popular.
Two years later, in 1896, the Exposition nationale suisse in Geneva set up a similar carnotzet. As of 1930, the spread of carnotzets throughout most Vaudois institutions such as the Conseil d'Etat, Grand Conseil, and even the Hôpital Cantonal.
Carnotzet is taken from karnótsè, a form of the regional French dialect, meaning "hut", "compartment", "hiding place", "small room" where bottles of wine are kept. The term first appeared in 1894 in the form carnotset. By the 20th century, all specialized dictionaries were mentioning it, and even in dictionaries such as Le Petit Larousse and Le Petit Robert.
If you love the colors and selections of pumpkins that are avaiable today, then wait no longer! Most restaurants will be serving pumpkin soup around this time of year but see bottom of page for Lisa's recipe. And make sure to check out the events around these seasonal beauty as various festivals in the region.
FESTIVALS
Courges en Folie
www.charmey.ch/en/events/pumpkin-madness
12-27 October 2024
Vounetz/Charmey, Fribourg
A festival with everything you need to enjoy the autumn.
Fête de la courge for kids
www.cpo-ouchy.ch/activites/fete-de-la-courge
Saturday, 26 October 2024
Lausanne, VD
Pumpkin carving workshop, story-telling, face-painting, afternoon disco.
If you want the freshest apples and fruit possible, then bring your boots and some plastic bags and make your way to one of these farms! If we have missed one, then please send us an email so we can add to this list. We will publish an article dedicated to pumpkins early October, so stay tuned!
Most farms are open until the fruits are gone. You usually pay Fr. 1.50/kilo for apples for example. They also sell fresh apple juice in handy 5kg boxes.
When a listing came up on FaceBook with an amazing photo of soft meringue floral bouquets, I didn't think twice! I wrote to Anna Karpenko from Sweet Blossoms! She replied immediately and sent me amazing photos of the types of bouquets she has already made in the past. I explained I needed at least 7 flowers for a dinner that Friday evening; we agreed that a circular box was great for my table centerpiece. She confirmed CHF 25.- should cover it and we arranged to meet at Cornavin for the exchange the next day (see photo below).
I was so happy to have these amazing works of edible art and my friends were delighted to have one flower of their choice to top off the brownie thins I had made (photo at left). I wrote to Anna, "The flowers were more than amazing! Better than I could ever imagine! Thank you. Everyone loved them. The flavors were subtle and not too sweet. The texture is between whipped cream and a soft meringue... I'm still dreaming of eating them."
Photo Credit: Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman 2024 at Dario's (50% discount off food)
This is the first in a series of discount articles you might not be aware about.
If you haven't already discovered amazing discount deals for residents to the area, then read on. And please send us any ones we can share to our readers. These are not sponsored entries. These are the personal recommendations of Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman's, editor of Know-it-all passport®.
TheFork - restaurant discount
Website
Do you love finding trendy new restaurants, but also enjoy weekend brunches with friends or romantic dinners? Do you think that nothing beats traditional cuisine such as cheese fondue or filets de perche, but trying out non-Swiss restaurants like Thai, Indian, or Italian? Discover restaurants on TheFork, from a selection of over 60,000 addresses worldwide. It is even possible to rack up YUMS (points) whether or not your restaurant choice holds no deal... just make sure to always check if they are listed on the App before you reserve.
Photo Credit: Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman 2024 at Scaramu (20% discount off food)
So even if you are traveling, always check out TheFork before you reserve. You might find some hidden gems.
